Thanksgiving Or ‘How Much Can I Fit In My Pie Hole?’

TURKEY OR HAM OR CHEESEBURGERS?

Tomorrow, well, I like Thanksgiving. I am not, necessarily, a turkey person. I know, and I am sure you do to, know people who LOVE turkey.

I’m not a real big fan.

Cheeseburgers are my friends

I’m more of a ham fan. I am really a cheeseburger fan.

I’m a fan of turkey sandwiches the next day or week later, slathered in mayonnaise and cheese on some good bread. I like dressing and I really like mashed potatoes. I really like MY mashed potatoes because there is usually more butter and cream in the mix than potato.

I use to make the Thanksgiving meal and have it at our house. I would be up at 0530 (I use military time because it felt like a big-well coordinated operation) and making the dressing to stuff the turkey with. Calling my brother in California who was doing the same thing, both of us toasting the other with a wee dram of cooking sherry we used in the stuffing. This, obviously, was before some scientist came out and said those digestive “issues” we were having after Thanksgiving was caused by some form of salmonella which was such a buzz kill. But a side dish of stuffing tasted better and you could make more of it than what you could stuff in the bird.

I’m not a big fan of pumpkin pie either. I like it, don’t get me wrong, but I’m more of cherry pie guy. A cup of coffee and a slice at the end is wonderful.

It would take me from early morning until we sat down, maybe eight hours, to prep, cook, serve Thanksgiving, about eight hours. Then, I would start the clock in my head by looking at my watch from when I sat down to when the main meal was done. It was routinely about seventeen minutes.

HOW FAST IS TOO FAST?

Seventeen minutes. Then, my favorite part is cleaning up. It gave me a sense of accomplishment. Like mopping floors. That is my favorite house cleaning item—floor mopping. Then, cleaning toilets. I feel good about myself with those two.

As I have gotten older, and my kids have families of their own, I now travel to them. One of my daughters has it at her house. She has my love for cooking and we all bring something. This year, I still am not sure what to bring.

And all of this seems to miss the reason for the day.

Dad wants you to enjoy this day

If you believe in God, a Dad who loves you beyond your imagination, He wants you to enjoy this day. He also knows for many, this day is a hard day. There isn’t enough money or family separation or even caring to get even half the things media outlets try to schlep our way. He wants you to enjoy the community you find yourself in, because it is in that community He, himself, loves to be in it with you. He loves to be wherever you are. I loved cleaning the dishes, often two hours in the sink in the kitchen, and it was just me. Often leading to conversations in my mind with Him. I don’t remember any major discussions we had. But I remember the feeling I had and it was pleasantly wonderful.

‘Ah, Mark, I just don’t want this day to be too deep, you know? My cousin from Vermont, he’s not a believer and I feel uncomfortable talking about things around him. It’s really bad around Easter. No way to even hide that holiday around him.’

Sure, there is that. But remember your faith in a Dad who has a perfect timetable for everything. It’s Thanksgiving. The name of the day kind of gives the purpose of the day away. To give thanks. There is nothing this day will present the God of the Universe and surprise Him, who by the way, is sitting on the counter of your kitchen watching and listening and enjoying you and your cousin from Vermont. It doesn’t have to be ‘a thing.’ Just time together.

I BET MATTHEW WAS SWEATING!

Remember the story of Jesus going to Matthew’s house? The Lord of the world wants to have supper with a non-believing, thieving, not a very well-liked man—in his house—eating his food. Huh? I would have loved to watch that. Jesus-did he walk in with elegance and grace, with a gilded aura around his head, or did he bring something—other than himself—as a gift to the homeowner, like we do? Like wine? His first miracle was making more wine for a wedding, remember? Gosh, I bet you that was good wine!

What did he do to make Matthew feel relaxed and unashamed of who he was and how he lived? How did he disarm the man everyone, and I mean EVERYONE hated? Was there a prayer before eating? Did Jesus do it or did he turn to the host of the home and say something like ‘this is your home, would you like to give thanks for our food and this delicious wine?’